If there’s one thing that makes my holiday wishlist every single year, it’s a Sephora Favorites value gift set for a) the quality and variety of beauty products b) the mind-bending value. I write about and test beauty products for a living, which means I’m constantly flooded with more skincare and makeup than I can use. And I still buy these sets because not only are they a great deal on products I already love, but they give me an opportunity to try out new, top-selling items from trusted brands.
SHOP SEPHORA VALUE GIFT SETS NOW
These are truly a steal on any given day, but right now through December 15, Sephora is offering a 20% off sale to all Beauty Insiders with code HAVEITALL. But these are selling fast! Pro tip: if these sold out on Sephora online, you still might find them at Sephora stores (arrange for in-store pickup to get the discount), or you can order at Kohl’s, which seems to have more of these gift sets left in stock. (Kohl’s is a verified seller of Sephora products, by the way — Amazon is not.)
Redeemable Voucher
Sephora Favorites Perfume Sampler Set
Now 20% Off
Redeemable Voucher
Sephora Favorites Cologne Sampler Set
Now 20% Off
There are a couple Sephora gift sets that are a no-brainer: As in, I’m saying it would be financially irresponsible not to stock up on these in December, if you’re a frequent user of either perfume or mascara.
Exhibit A: The Perfume Sampler Set, Deluxe Perfume Sampler Set and the Cologne Sampler Set. Packaged in a cute reusable cosmetics bag, these each come with 18 sample-size fragrances from iconic brands like Prada, Valentino, Viktor&Rolf, Tom Ford and more, plus a scent certificate that lets you get a full-sized bottle of your favorite fragrance at no extra cost. So, you’re basically getting 18 free fragrance samples in addition to a steep discount on your favorite full-sized perfume or cologne (like, over 50% off retail). If these sold out on Sephora, check out our Kohl’s links to find them for $80 — still a steal.
Just to math this out for a second — if you were to buy a 1.7 ounce bottle of Tom Ford’s Oud Minerale Eau de Parfum outright, it would set you back $160. But with the Cologne Sampler, you can get that — plus 18 samples — for $76 at Sephora or $80 at Kohl’s this week. I just… don’t know what more to even say. The deal is so good, it feels illegal. Truly, am I stealing? Is this OK? Make it make sense!
Sephora Lashstash to Go Mini Mascara Set
Similarly, exhibit B: Lashstash to Go, a mini mascara sampler set going for $23 at Sephora or $28 at Kohl’s this week that also comes with a redeemable voucher. I gift this to my mom, my friends and yes, myself every single year.
The set gets you five top-selling mini mascaras (this year’s are from Tarte Grande Lash, Benefit, Milk and Lancôme, which are legitimately all favorites of mine), and a voucher for free full-sized version of whichever one you like the best. The minis alone last me a good five to six months, which means that after I cash in for the full-sized, I really only have to buy one additional mascara a year thanks to this one purchase in December. According to one deals expert (me), that means I’m actually making money with this purchase.
Some of my other favorite gift sets, like the Precious Pouts Lip Set and the Holiday Hair Must Haves Value Set are already out of stock online, which a Sephora rep confirms “usually aren’t restocked as they’re seasonal,” so the time to shop is now while you still can.
Final tip: If you don’t already have a Beauty Insider account, make one. It’s free to do so, and the perks are hefty — this is the same signup that gives you access to a free birthday gift every year, plus redeemable points on every purchase, free gifts and free shipping on every order.
Jessica (she/her) is the director of editorial commerce and product reviews with over a decade of experience as a product tester, reviewer, writer and editor of beauty and lifestyle content. Previously she was the beauty editor at USA Today’s Reviewed where she launched the Beauty vertical and tested hundreds of products and has covered trends for publications like The Boston Globe and The New York Times. You can usually find her sorting through piles of beauty products — and testing the best ones on camera.
